Unused electrical outlets are unsightly and are an unsafe, unattractive nuisance. Homes and commercial buildings have many more electrical outlets than are needed at any one time because current building codes in the United States require that there be no longer than a six foot floor run to an available electrical outlet. Consequently, contemporary homes and commercial buildings and older homes and commercial buildings that are remodeled and meet current building codes have many excess electrical outlets. These unused electrical outlets distract from the decor of a room because they do not blend with the paint color of the walls. And, the increased number of electrical outlets simply provides increased opportunities for the occupants of a room to come in contact with electrical hazards.
Standard electrical outlets include socket mechanisms and unpainted faceplates generally available in limited colors Contemporary homes have walls painted with off white, pastel, or rich dark colors. Typical electrical outlets, spaced frequently along a wall, contrast and distract from the uniform appearance of the painted wall and become very noticeable because they do not blend with the wall. The increased number of unused outlets, combined with the fact that they stand out from the wall, creates an increased number of unsafe, unattractive nuisances and increases risk of human exposure to active electrical elements. Occupants of a room are confronted with these excess electrical outlets and may find them to be a visually unpleasant and potentially hazardous. Devices exist to either improve the appearance of electrical outlets or provide a safety barrier to humans; however, no product exists that accomplishes both.
Decor enhancing devices exist for electrical outlets which replace the faceplate to make the “socket” portion of an electrical outlet more visually appealing, or to conceal unsightly screws, or provide an appealing frame to an outlet. All decor related devices provide access to the electrical components of the wall socket and are not intended to reduce hazard.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,119,278, a cover plate exists that is thin and rectangularly shaped, with apertures to receive plug blades, which replaces the faceplate and is attached to the socket mechanism with a screw. This device addresses the problem of paint buildup on the electrical socket after many years of redecorating and repainting. Although faceplates can easily be removed during wall painting, the socket itself is considered permanent and is subject to being defaced from dripping or spattering paint. This device makes the outlet more aesthetically pleasing by providing a thin flat mask, that maintains the outlet's functionality, that, prior to wall painting, can be removed by unscrewing the center set screw, and reinstalled when paint is dry, covering any paint that has accidentally spattered onto the original, permanent outlet socket. These cover plates are available in a variety of manufacturer selected colors. A screwdriver is required for its use.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,570, a cover plate exists to replace a standard faceplate, which is attached with a center screw, with a plate that attaches to the electrical socket using concealed flanges for a “snap fit” to the outlet. The purpose of this device is to cover unsightly screws.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,664,471, a removable socket cover exists, consisting of a panel and sidewalls, for the purpose of temporarily protecting the socket and wiring from paint drips and spatters during a painting project. It is installed by pressing it into place while painting a wall in the immediate proximity of the socket and then is removed and reinstalled over a different socket, as the painting progresses.
Safety cover devices restrict access to the electrical components of the wall socket through the use of overlay parts or enclosures. Electrical outlets for supplying electrical power to appliances and machines are common fixtures in homes and buildings. A persistent danger associated with electrical outlets is that children may insert their fingers or other objects into the openings of electrical outlets and be injured of killed or may cause injury to their surroundings. This is a particular risk when nothing is plugged into the openings of outlets, making them inviting targets for children's curiosity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 7,094,969 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,034, safety related devices exist that cover electrical outlets and sockets by attaching a pivoting, hinged or sliding door apparatus. This device is oversized in length, width, and depth and protrudes from the wall and requires a tool for the removal of the existing face plate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,239, attaching a hinged boxlike plug enclosure covers provides a barrier to the electrical outlet. This device is oversized in length, width, and depth and protrudes from the wall and requires a tool for the removal of the existing face plate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,051,788, attaching a thick faceplate that prevents simultaneous contact of the fingers of a person holding a plug with the bare metal prong as it contacts the receptacle's electrical contacts. This device is oversized in length, width, and depth and protrudes from the wall and requires a tool for the removal of the existing face plate.
Other safety devices are small, about the size of a quarter, and cover only the orifice area of the socket. They are attached by being inserted into the active, “hot” orifices of the electrical mechanism, blocking access to the receptacle's electrical mechanism.
Many devices have been created to enhance the appearance of electrical outlets, but they provide no safety barrier between the electrical mechanism and the occupants of a room and require tools for installation and reinstallation, and most require the removal of the faceplate.
One device, that replaces a faceplate, sites a primary objective as hiding the screws that secure the device to the wall using adaptors with openings that allow the decorative cover to snap into place. This snap-on method, however, requires costly manufacturing processes and may be too expensive for the average homeowner. These cover plates provide a “snap fit” with a corresponding flange. Typically, one or both of the flange portions, and the corresponding elements, must bend somewhat to engage the cover plate. This configuration is troublesome because it is difficult to remove the cover plate and each removal and reengagement produces some bending and fatigue. Repeated removal and reengagement can lead to damage and possibly failure of the device.
Other cover plates mount over the electrical socket, after removal of the faceplate, and have apertures for plug blades and a center hole for receiving a screw to secure it to the socket. The intent of this device is to replace the faceplate and cover the entire outlet, with openings only the size of plug blades, unlike a faceplate which only masks the wall opening and wiring associated with the socket. The cover will mask any paint that has spattered or dripped onto the socket, but is only available in colors selected by the manufacturer, which will not exactly match a wall's paint color or will have to be changed if the paint color of the wall changes. This device requires tools to install and does not eliminate the need for unattractive screws.
Devices have been created to limit children's access to the openings in electrical outlets, but they are unsightly and detract from room decor and require tools to install and reinstall.
Boxlike outer covers that lock over a base plate, with hinged, doorlike openings for passage of an electric cords offer substantial protection, however, they are unsightly and it may be prohibitively expensive to use these devices for every outlet in the home or building. A stop bar blocks access to the outlet by children, and the locks on the device are covered by the outer cover and can be released only by an external, magnetic force. If an electrical hazard develops and a user needs to quickly open the outlet cover, they must first have the device providing the magnetic force available, in order to open the door and disengage the plug from the socket. It is critical for safety that it be readily openable by an adult.
Covers with sliding or swinging “doorlike” parts that cover the orifices of an electrical socket, or devices where the entire cover slides or swings out of place provide protection from hazard but the complexity of these safety covers and the difficulty of use, as well as the space required, particularly when opened, limits their practicality. This type of safety cover uses a variety of parts that are most apt to be lost, suffer breakage, and which require an inordinate amount of time to install, and are complex and expensive to procure.
Plastic safety plugs with prongs that fit snugly into openings are readily available, however, being visible, safety plugs may themselves be taken as a challenge for removal by some children. These small safety plugs are a hazard to children as they are small enough for a child to put it into its mouth. Additionally, the small, pronged plugs, installed in a socket may be a tempting challenge to a child who sees it as a toy.
For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the Figures.